Chapter 2

Not long after Vincent sent the email, he received a WhatsApp message, which he checked right away.

"In that case, I'll talk to them about it, Vince. When do you plan on meeting them?"

Vincent smiled faintly as he typed out a reply. "There's no rush. Confirm all the details with them and fill me in first. I'll decide on a meeting time after that."

He knew the Jensens were probably in a hurry at the moment, but he was also aware of Jensen Group's longstanding business partnership with Copeland Group. Since the two companies had dealings with each other, he wasn't going to get involved until he figured out whether Copeland Group was also involved in this matter.

After making all the arrangements, Vincent let out a long exhale. The tension in his body finally went slack, and soon, he was overcome by a wave of drowsiness, drifting off to sleep without realizing it.

He was woken up by the commotion downstairs. Perking his ears, he seemed to hear Walt chewing someone out.

Jolting, Vincent jumped out of bed and silently crept to the top of the stairs to peek downward.

A scowling Walt was glaring furiously at Zachary, who had his head down, looking rather miserable. However, his expression couldn't be seen.

Suddenly, Zachary looked up, and his gaze met Vincent's. His eyes flashed with resentment.

Vincent's brows creased. Despite the bad feeling rising in him, he forced himself to remain calm as he descended the stairs. He walked over to Walt and, in a bid to ease the tension, asked, "What's the matter, Dad? Did Zachary do something to upset you?"

Walt's expression improved a little when he saw Vincent, but he still appeared exasperated. "It's all because of you. Ms. Copeland was displeased that you weren't in attendance today, and she left early."

"Me?" Startled, Vincent pointed at himself, looking entirely clueless. "What does that have to do with me?"

Hearing that, Zachary couldn't take it anymore. He marched over and grabbed Vincent by the collar. "Drop the act! What's your relationship with Ms. Copeland? Why was she upset that you didn't show up?"

Vincent was completely caught off guard. After shoving Zachary off, he fired back, "What on earth are you talking about? I've never even met Ms. Copeland before."

But clearly, Zachary didn't believe Vincent. He simply scoffed and stormed upstairs to his room, leaving Walt and Vincent to stare at each other.

Sighing, Walt shook his head. "Vincent, Ms. Copeland heard that you're not feeling well, and she specifically said she'd be coming over tomorrow to visit you. You… should probably prepare yourself for that."

"She's coming to visit me?"

Dumbfounded, Vincent looked at Walt in confusion. He distinctly remembered that at this point, he and Samara didn't even know each other yet. Nevertheless, he did his best to quell his emotions and nodded, humming in acknowledgment.

"It's getting late. You should rest early," Walt added before heading back to his room.

Alas, this proved to be a long and arduous night for Vincent. He kept tossing and turning in bed, haunted by visions of Samara.

If she truly did show up at the house tomorrow, how was he supposed to face her?

…

Early the next morning, a maid knocked on Vincent's door, breaking the silence. "Mr. Vincent, Ms. Copeland is here."

She really came.

Lying in bed, Vincent pulled the blanket tighter around himself, his brows knitting together.

Memories of Samara flooded his mind once more. He remembered her betrayal following their marriage, her lack of trust in him, and how merciless she'd been when she had him wrongfully sent to prison. He also couldn't forget her viciousness in hiring people to torture him, along with those harsh, heartless words she said.

Now that he had a chance for a do-over, all he wanted was to stay far away from Samara and live his own life. So why did she come looking for him?

At this very moment, that woman was right downstairs, with only the ceiling separating them. He felt a suffocating tightness in his chest, for he truly didn't know how to be in the same room with her.

…

Down in the living room, Samara sat on the couch. Her red lips only accentuated her striking features, which were nothing short of perfection. The blush-pink dress she wore added a softer, more feminine touch, but she still carried herself with the sophisticated confidence of a powerful businesswoman.

But right now, the atmosphere was unusually heavy. Multiple cups of coffee had gone cold on the coffee table, with the maids bringing her a new cup each time. They'd also gone upstairs twice to remind Vincent, but he was still nowhere to be seen.

Walt started getting a little displeased. Vincent had always been a sensible young man. Why was he acting so unlike himself today?

On the other hand, Samara didn't seem the least bit impatient. She took a small sip of coffee, her expression unruffled. It was as if she didn't care whether Vincent showed up at all.

At that moment, Zachary came downstairs, but he wasn't dressed in his usual attire. The white shirt and black pants combo made him look spirited and neatly put together. He strolled over to the couch and casually took the seat in front of Samara.

It was glaringly obvious what he was up to, so much so that even Walt felt a little awkward as he shot a furtive glance at Samara.

However, she simply continued to drink her coffee at leisure, as if she hadn't even seen Zachary.

After even more time had passed, Vincent finally dragged himself downstairs, still wearing his pajamas with a random jacket thrown on top. He hadn't bothered shaving, either, looking like someone who'd been hauled out of bed just moments ago.

"Morning, Dad."

Once he arrived at the foot of the stairs, he greeted Walt before slowly making his way over to the living room.

It was only after Walt had shot him a look that Vincent steeled himself and approached Samara. He stopped two feet away from her and said in a slightly gruff voice, "Sorry, Ms. Copeland, but I don't feel very well. Forgive me for not being at my best."

As he spoke, he deliberately kept his head lowered. His eyes darted around nervously. He was terrified of making eye contact with her.

He figured that he would just exchange a quick greeting with her before coming up with some excuse to scurry off. But even after he'd spoken, she didn't respond at all.

The atmosphere became awkward, and Vincent became even more on edge. Finally, he couldn't resist lifting his gaze, and their eyes met at once.

The woman in front of him now seemed different from the Samara he remembered in his previous life. She wasn't wearing her usual business suit, and her hair was also down, falling loosely over her shoulders. A few stray strands were resting on her cheeks, adding some gentleness to her demeanor.

But it was her brightly gleaming eyes and the unfathomable look in them as she stared at him that made his scalp tingle.

Just as Vincent was about to speak, Samara suddenly got up and walked straight toward him. Heart lurching, he instinctively tried to back away, but before he could, she threw her arms out and hugged him.

Everyone was completely dumbstruck.

Zachary practically leaped off the couch, his expression ugly. Even Walt was stunned, but he managed to maintain his composure. His lips parted as he looked at Samara, but ultimately, he didn't speak.

However, Samara seemed entirely unaware of how everyone else was reacting. She continued to hold Vincent tightly as she lifted her head to stare unblinkingly at him.

Her heart was racing, the joy and exhilaration at having reunited with something she thought was long gone nearly bringing her to tears. She clung to him, relishing the warmth of his body that gave her a sense of reassurance.

It was nothing like the cold, stiff body she held after rushing to the prison.